This application is a national stage application under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7 371 of international application PCT/EP00/10536 filed on Oct. 26, 2000, the international application not being published in English. This application also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 to DE 199 53 258.3, filed on Nov. 4, 1999.
This invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing a flowable product from a container comprising
a roller applicator which closes the container opening to the outside and which comprises a housing for a roller in which the roller is mounted for rotation, the roller projecting locally inwards into the container from the roller housing and being designed to be wetted by the flowable product in use and
an openable closure which covers the roller to the outside, sealing elements being provided between the roller and the roller housing.
One such dispenser designed in particular for dispensing a liquid deodorant is known, for example, from DE 195 21 508 A1. In this known dispenser, the roller applicator is said to be designed in such a way that, on the one hand, it closes the opening of the container securely when the deodorant is not in use and, on the other hand, allows the liquid to flow out when the deodorant is being applied. In the known dispenser, this is said to be achieved by the fact that the roller is mounted firmly for rotation about its axis and by the fact that the container opening is designed to be closed by a closure element of a slide closure. A closure cap designed to be placed on the container is also provided. Since the roller of the known dispenser can only move with a degree of freedom in the roller housing, i.e. can only rotate about its axis, the roller can be supported underneath by a cup of the roller housing communicating with the container opening so that, when the deodorant is in use, the flow of liquid and hence the degree of wetting of the roller can be determined through the distance between the roller and the cup. However, the handling behavior of such a dispenser is still not satisfactory because, on the one hand, the form of application is limited insofar as the roller is only able to rotate with a degree of freedom. Accordingly, if the user wants to distribute the liquid over a relatively large area, for example over the underarm region, he/she has to apply the roller applicator possibly several times in parallel adjacent strokes. On the other hand, it is a disadvantage that the user has to remove and replace the closure cap before and after using the dispenser because, without the closure cap, the dispenser is not sufficiently leak-proof.
DE 27 24 099 A1, for example, discloses a dispenser of the type mentioned at the beginning comprising a roller applicator with a ball-like roller which simplifies application of the product to the skin. However, this dispenser also requires a closure cap which, in the closed position, presses from inside against sealing elements of the roller housing and, in doing so, closes and seals the container. Accordingly, the closure cap again has to be removed before use and replaced after use which makes the dispenser correspondingly inconvenient to handle. In addition, this known dispenser like the other dispensers of this type often has the disadvantage that the wetting of the roller with liquid product is unsatisfactory, particularly when the dispenser is used for the first time, so that the user frequently has to turn the roller several times with a finger. This is clearly awkward and inconvenient.
FR-A-2 623 476 describes a dispenser with a roller applicator which does not communicate with the contents of the container directly but via a channel which is designed to be opened and closed by a pivotable closure. In the closed position of the closure where the roller is covered to the outside by the closure, the channel is aligned in such a way that it does not establish a connection between the roller and the interior of the container. By contrast, in the opened position of the closure, a connection is established. However, a dispenser such as this is only suitable and intended for dispensing a paste-like product. It is not suitable for use as a dispenser, for example for liquid deodorants.
The problem addressed by the present invention was to improve a dispenser of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a way that the handling behavior of the dispenser would be considerably improved without any adverse effect on the sealing function of the dispenser when it is not in use.
In a dispenser of the type mentioned at the beginning, the solution to this problem as provided by the invention is characterized in that the closure is designed to pivot relative to the roller in such a way that it can be turned into an open position in which the roller is uncovered and into a closed position in which the roller is covered to the outside, the sealing elements being designed in such a way that they become fully active by turning of the closure into the closed position.
In contrast to known dispensers of this type, therefore, the dispenser according to the invention does not require a closure cap which has to be removed to use the dispenser and then replaced after use. Instead, the closure remains on the dispenser or rather the container. It merely has to be turned into the open and closed positions. The closure may easily be designed in such a way that, in the closed position, it closes the roller to the outside so that, in conjunction with suitable sealing elements, a satisfactory sealing function is also guaranteed. Operating errors are almost completely avoided by the one-piece design of the container and closure. This is because, when the pivotally mounted closure is turned into the closed position which is clearly recognisable to the user because the roller is no longer visible in this position, the design of the sealing elements in conjunction with the closure automatically ensures that the sealing elements are in their fully activate position.
In addition, it is readily possible given suitable geometry of the closure to bring the closure automatically into friction contact with the roller through the pivoting movement from the closed into the open position and vice versa, so that the roller is rotated during the pivoting movement of the closure, which ensures automatic wetting of the roller with product so that subsequent application of the product is considerably simplified because there is no need for complicated actuation of the roller with the fingers or the like.
In a preferred embodiment, there is at least one projection on the inside of the closure which presses the roller inwards against the sealing elements when the closure is turned into the closed position. In this way, the complete activation of the sealing elements when the closure is closed is achieved by a particularly simple design measure.
In another preferred embodiment, the closure is pivotally connected to the roller housing. All the components of the dispenser thus form a preassembled unit which is suitable for fitting to a container. Alternatively, however, the closure may also be pivotally connected to the container itself.
In one particularly preferred embodiment which is ergonomically very favorable and which further simplifies handling, the closure is designed in the manner of a part-spherical hinged visor. For opening and closing, the closure may be thus be handled in the same way as hinged visors of, for example, motorcycle helmets.
Where the closure is designed in this way, another particularly preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the roller housing forms a ball-like shape together with the roller partly projecting from the housing and that part of the container where the container opening is situated. Accordingly, both in the open and in the closed position, the part-spherical closure bears almost completely against the container or rather the roller so that it is not problematical. In addition, this embodiment of the dispenser is particularly attractive in appearance.
As mentioned above, the dispenser can form a preassembled unit, in which case the roller housing xe2x80x94in one particularly preferred embodimentxe2x80x94is detachably fixed to the container. In this way, the container can be refilled with product as required, in addition to which various types of container can be fitted with one and the same dispenser so that various designs can be used. A series consisting of several different dispensers is easier to produce. However, the housing may also be snap- or press-fitted onto the container. In that case, re-use of the dispenser is not normally envisaged.
In order further to simplify handling, stops for limiting the pivoting movement of the closure are provided on the closure and/or on the roller housing and/or on the container. In one particularly advantageous embodiment, detent elements are associated with the stops. Thus, corresponding detent elements may be provided, for example, to ensure that, when the dispenser is in use, the closure remains in its open position. The same provisions may also be made for the closed position.